New ad for PLUS Supermarkets features family recipes passed down through the generations

Amsterdam, 6 December 2018 – For millions of people all over the world, Christmas is all about keeping the old family traditions alive. And not surprisingly, most family traditions are rooted in the kitchen. So what does the festive season look like when a key family member has just passed away? And what about if it’s the one who also just happens to cook the Christmas meal - year in and year out?

This question is explored with subtlety and room for ambiguity in today’s new Christmas campaign for PLUS Supermarket by J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam. The film shows a woman lovingly preparing a Christmas meal, under the careful watching eyes of her mother. To get it just right, the younger woman frequently checks an old and battered family recipe book – one just like most families have tucked away at home. But during the film it becomes increasingly clear that Christmas this year is different than any other… The woman’s mother has in fact recently passed away. But by way of her family recipes and traditions, she lives on. And is represented in a ghost-like form, guiding her daughter while she honours her mother by preparing the meal in exactly the same way as her mother always did.

Watch the film here:

Bas Korsten, Creative Partner at J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam:

“All families have their tales and their traditions. And Christmas is an especially poignant time of the year to explore these stories. In this particular case, the hero of our narrative for PLUS Supermarkets is that old recipe book - connecting the generations and ensuring that the family recipes will never get lost or forgotten.”

Esmée Blom, Communication Manager at PLUS Supermarkets:

“We are really proud of this new campaign. We strongly believe in the strategy we developed for PLUS some 3 years ago and the way in which we are executing it. We are aiming for the same success as last year’s campaign, which in terms of market share was our best Christmas ever.”

The campaign is scored with a new version of Robbie Williams’ smash-hit ‘She’s the One’ which was originally released almost 20 years ago this December. The track is sensitively performed by British recording artist, Frances, who was nominated for a BRIT in the category ‘Critic’s Choice’ for 2016. The track was produced by Amp.Amsterdam.

The new campaign follows in PLUS Supermarket’s (new) tradition of exploring family narratives at Christmas, which started last year with J. Walter Thompson’s campaign showing a co-parenting family during the festive season.

Download images here:

Credits:

J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam

Creative Partner: Bas Korsten

Creative Lead: Chris Sant, Dieuwer Bulthuis

Business Lead: Budi Gonzalez de Chaves

Senior concept producer: Charlene Thomas

Screen producer: Kiek Beljaars

PLUS Supermarkets

Manager Brand & Communication: Okke Wiarda

Marketing Manager: Esmée Blom

Campaign Manager: Marieke Lazeroms

Pink Rabbit

Director: Ismael ten Heuvel

DOP: Martijn van Broekhuizen

Executive Producer: Mireille Lampe & Monique van Beckhoven

Producer: Floor Schroeijers

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MRTN

Editor: Martin Heijgelaar

Online & Special effects

Captcha!

Justin Baker & Daniël van der Kaaden

Grading: Barry Clarke

Music

Amp.Amsterdam

Music: Frances - She’s The One (original song by Robbie Williams)

Music Supervision: Bart van Liemt, Jarl Hector

Sound:

Studio Alfred Klaassen

Jacco Lenstra

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About J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam

We’re a local agency with international ambitions. Intergalactic ambitions even. To reach that goal we’ve transformed the agency quite drastically. For instance, we only have 3 departments: Think, Do and Make. Why? Because you have to keep it simple this day and age to help your clients face an increasingly complex world.